My adult life began pretty harmlessly. After college, I got a master’s in student life. My plan was to be one of those guys who drinks coffee with college students and tries to persuade them not to sleep with each other (yet.)

But you know how it goes. God flipped the script. One day I was making posters for New Student Orientation, the next I was sitting in an office at a think tank in Washington. Dumbfounded (and not sure what a “think tank” was) the Spirit urged, “Just go with it.”

Three years later, after building a national program to teach Christian college students about free enterprise, Chuck Colson offered me a new job. I would be the first full-time employee of the Manhattan Declaration, an ecumenical movement for life, marriage and
religious freedom in America. Once again, I was facing an unexpected opportunity, but this time I was more hesitant to accept it.

Economics can be a contentious topic, but nothing like the debates over abortion, marriage, and religion. Would my friends and family would be embarrassed and ashamed of such work? And what would my friends in the LGBT community think?

Ultimately, none of these questions mattered. The decision was made many years earlier when, as a 4-year-old, I gave myself to Jesus. My life is his.

Yet, I still struggle with the doubts and fears. And I haven’t figured out how to love as my faith demands when others find the truth so offensive, but I’m working on it.

I plan to use this space to argue for life, marriage, and religious freedom. I am convinced these are the most important questions for our generation. They are provocative topics, but I hope to engage you all in a substantive, respectful, and generous conversation.

Thanks to the good people at RELEVANT for allowing me the opportunity. If you’re interested in learning more about my work check out www.manhattandeclaration.org.

Eric Teetsel went to Wheaton College and also earned a masterÕs degree from Azusa Pacific University. Before joining the American Enterprise Institute he worked at Colorado Christian University in the Life Directions Center. The son of a career Army officer, Eric moved around a lot growing up, but considers Kansas home since thatÕs where he goes for holidaysÐand most recentlyÐwhere his fiance is from. He named his dog after Steve Nash, the best player on the greatest team in sports. Eric is on Twitter at @EricTeetsel.